1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus having a line of sight detection means for performing a predetermined operation based on a line sight obtained by a line of sight detection device that detects a user's line of sight.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, there are proposed various cameras which sense a line of sight direction of a photographer (user) to detect which area (position) the photographer is observing in a viewfinder field, that is, a photographer's gazing direction by a line of sight detection means disposed in a part of the camera, and control various photographing functions such as auto focus adjustment and automatic exposure based on signals from the line of sight detection means.
For example, the applicant of this invention proposed a camera having a line of sight detection means for detecting a photographer's gazing direction and an automatic exposure control means having a distribution of a plurality of photometric sensitivities to control driving of a focus detection means or an automatic exposure control means based on an output signal from the line of sight detection means in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/331,154, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,892.
In detecting a photographer's line of sight and controlling a camera by detected signals, there is a problem of a wink (blink) which is a physiological phenomenon of human beings. There are also various proposals for detecting a "wink" to apply the information to the control. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-308371, there is proposed a line of sight detection device which invalidates a result of a line of sight detection when a photographer's wink is detected.
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/519,753, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,289 there is proposed a line of sight detection device having a capability of more precise line of sight detection; its success rate is enhanced by performing a line of sight detecting operation again after changing an illuminating position of illuminating means for illuminating an eyeball of a photographer or an illuminating output or after changing an accumulation time of an imaging element for receiving a light of an eyeball image from the eyeball or a signal amplification factor to change an image output signal of the eyeball image if it is determined that a first time line of sight detection is unsuccessful as for a problem how a subsequent line of sight detection should be controlled if the first time line of sight detection is unsuccessful due to some reason.
Furthermore, there are various proposals of controlling apparatuses by using means for detecting a user's "blink" or "wink" during the above line of sight detection or following determinations performed by the detecting means.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-279143, an eyeball movement test device is proposed for determining a testee's "wink" by comparing a total sum level of eyeball image signals with a predetermined standard value and utilizing characteristics that the total sum level of the eyeball image signals is reduced if there is a pupil image signal of a testee in the eyeball image signals of the testee while the total sum level of the eyeball image signals is increased if there is no pupil image signal.
In addition, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 6-208158 and 6-308371, a camera is proposed which detects a photographer's "blink" or "wink" by illuminating an eyeball of the photographer to detect a presence or absence of a cornea reflection image of the eyeball generated by the illumination.